


One Long Night

by Choke-a-Bro (Vanya_Deyja)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Long Night, M/M, Pre-Slash, Temporary Amnesia, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:08:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28274349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanya_Deyja/pseuds/Choke-a-Bro
Summary: Noctis re-emerges three years into the Long Night with his memory of his friends and all their adventures wiped from his mind. He's just trying to get by, helping Libertus at a gas station and rest spot, when Prompto passes through and spots him.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 27
Kudos: 103





	One Long Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ShadCat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadCat/gifts).



> Merry Christmas Liv! Hope you like this, it's very moody. Thanks for your great company and all the great people you've helped me meet <3

Doe’s been with Libertus maybe nine months? The Long Night started almost three years ago when the King and the Crystal vanished in Gralea.

He doesn’t remember his real name. Libertus calls him Doe, like _John Doe_ when you can’t identify a body. Libertus thinks he was attacked by daemons or something before he wandered into town but they can’t be sure. He didn’t have any ID on him, no wallet, no cell phone… It was like he fell out of the sky. Libertus needs another mouth to feed like a bucket needs a hole but he’s a soft touch, rattled from his Glaive days, and he can’t turn anyone away what with the governments all but collapsed and the night’s getting ever longer.

They’ve got about eight hours of sunlight now, which isn’t a lot, so every day is a frantic exercise in preparing for the next night. Cars speed past along the highway, rushing to their next safe rest point, and without anyone, Niff or Lucian or otherwise, to enforce a speed limit its sort of wild on the roads. Libertus always expects people will take advantage of the diminished governance, turn lawless, but Doe thinks people are generally good. Everyone’s struggling. They need to work together against the daemons not turn on each other.

Doe’s heard there are a lot of refugees in Lestallum. What’s left of the Niff and Lucian outfits have corralled there trying to hold things together. It’s a bit late in the game to be joining forces but it’s better than nothing. Libertus suggests Doe might have more luck figuring out who he is if he heads to Lestallum but they don’t exactly just have spare cars lying around. Besides, Doe would feel awful if he just abandoned Libertus out here on a hunch.

It’s another frantic Tuesday, just like any other day, when a motorcycle pulls into the gas station. The guy who gets off is on the lean side, small and wiry like Doe, but he’s obviously well trained. Maybe old Glaive or Crownsguard? Then again he’s blonde so maybe ex-Niff? Nah, those hunter’s patches on his jacket scream loyal Lucian.

Doe loves trying to read people’s backstories from their outfits and motions. Maybe it’s just because he doesn’t have a backstory? Ah well, it’s a fun way to pass the time while he packs supplies into Kalen’s truck.

The blonde locks his motorcycle on the edge of the lot and Doe pities the man who’d try to steal it. The blonde makes a beeline to head inside the station, helmet tucked under his arm, but something happens as Doe’s loading pallets into Kalen’s truck;

The blonde spots him.

Doe isn’t watching but when he glances back the blonde is frozen, just staring at him.

Doe pauses, head tilting, and gives a sheepish little wave.

Everyone’s looking for someone they lost these days. It’s not odd for people do to double takes thinking they recognize someone, hoping they’re right. Honestly, Doe hopes someone will recognize him because with society in shambles he can’t exactly go ask the police to investigate who he was before he fell into Libertus’ hands.

Doe is about to go back to loading when the blonde stalks across the parking lot towards him like a man possessed. Doe pauses, putting down his pallet. Does this guy genuinely recognize him? What’re the chances?

The blonde gets right up in his face and he’s a fraction shorter than Doe but he’s got these wild, frantic, eyes that are plenty frightening despite his size.

“Who’re you?” The blonde barks.

Doe blinks. That’s not quite what he was expecting.

“Doe,” he greets. “I help Libertus. He found me.”

“Found?” The blonde needles, not taking the hand Doe offers to shake.

“Yeah, out over by those woods, down highway 71.” Doe gestures. “Do I know you?” He asks, hopeful.

The blonde pulls a _fucking handgun_.

“Whoa!” Kalen rallies behind Doe but he barely manages to lurch before the blonde’s got the handgun trained on Doe’s forehead.

“Stay out of it.” The blonde snaps at Kalen. “You,” he glances back. “ _Walk._ ”

Doe glances to Kalen, panic bubbling in his gut.

“ _Now!_ ” The blonde booms, very bold for a tiny creature. Fierce.

“Okay, okay,” Doe puts his hands up, turning around to let the blonde trot him towards the garage.

Doe glances to Kalen. Kalen hesitates, just for a second, but once the handgun is off him bolts, likely to go get Libertus. Doe just hopes there’s not a bullet in him before they get back.

“Listen, dude,” Doe laughs weakly. “If I owed you money or something in my past life—”

“Shut up.” The blonde snaps shoving him forward. “Get in the garage.”

Doe complies, stepping into the musty work shed where they store a few tools and carry out a few basic repairs. It’s gloomy in here but the sun’s high enough that the light’s okay.

“Ardyn,” the blonde hisses. He sounds accusatory.

“W-who?” Doe fumbles, hands still up, afraid to turn back around to face the stranger.

The blonde pauses, thinking something over, and Doe can feel his grip flexing tightly around the gun.

“Take your shirt off.” The blonde instructs.

“ _What?_ ” Doe wheezes.

“Now mother fucker!” The blonde cocks the handgun.

“Okay! Okay!” Doe surrenders, grabbing the hem of his hand-me-down t-shirt and yanking it over the top of his head.

The blonde is very quiet and Doe doesn’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing right now.

Doe doesn’t think this is a sex thing, sure, but he’s not exactly comforted what with the gun.

There’s a long, painful, pause and then—

Doe startles, almost jumping out of his skin, when very, very, tentative fingertips brush against his back. He knows he’s got a gnarly network of scars across his back. He’s not sure what they’re from. Libertus says it looks like something tried to rip his spine out a long time ago. Now, in the musty work shed, the blonde traces the lightning bolts of white skin.

Doe doesn’t dare move.

“Oh Six…” the blonde whispers, sounding terribly small. “It _is_ you…”

Doe stiffens, glancing back very cautiously. He turns just in time to see the blonde drop his gun and burst into thick, heavy, tears. Doe fumbles, spinning around fully. He would hesitate, uncertain, but the blonde doesn’t give him time. He throws his arms around Doe’s shoulders and buries his face into his neck. Doe’s hands grip his waist reflexively, just trying to hold his balance, and the blonde erupts into the must guttural, heart wrenching, sobs he’s ever heard.

Doe wraps his arms a little tighter around the blonde. He can’t say for sure but…

Well, whoever this guys is, he obviously missed Doe very much. He holds him, uncertain and gentle, trying stupidly to do something to soothe the pain pouring out of the blonde. The blonde’s nails coil in him, threatening to break skin, but he’s not angry. It’s obvious he’s just so terrified Doe will disappear at any second he refuses to let go.

Libertus chooses then to come bursting through the shed door with his rifle.

He pauses, Kalen coming up the rear, and frowns.

Doe makes eye contact, trying wordlessly to explain, but the blonde never let’s go and doesn’t even flinch through his sobs. He’s practically wailing.

“You alright…?” Libertus asks Doe frankly.

“I-I think so?” Doe supposes, rubbing the frantic blonde’s back gently.

“He recognize you?” Libertus assumes.

“Yeah,” Doe nods.

“You want a minute?”

“I…” Doe hesitates. The blonde did have a gun trained on him a few minutes ago. “Yeah, please. Sorry, Lib.”

“It’s fine,” Libertus slackens his rifle, pulling the shed door shut again as he says; “don’t get shot, kid.”

* * *

Doe directs the blonde to sit down with him. He refuses to let go and that’s fine but Doe thinks they’d be more comfortable if they sat for a little while so he leans back against the cool frame of the shed and holds the sobbing blonde.

It takes a long time for the blonde to calm down enough to try and make words. He’s just crying too hard. Doe waits, kind of surprised by how instinctively he pulls the smaller body into his cross-legged lap. The blonde fits, just so, but when they slot together he cries even harder for a few moments. Still, eventually…

“You don’t remember me…?” The blonde sniffs, congested and red eyed, absolutely wrecked.

“I don’t remember anything,” Doe admits apologetically.

The blonde cups his cheek and, taking a tremulous breath, presses their noses and foreheads together. Doe submits to the tenderness. This guy is something alright, maybe even crazy, but he obviously loves Doe more than anything. Doe can feel it rolling off him in waves. 

Slumping back gently the blonde wipes at his face again with his fingerless gloves. He sniffs thickly and mumbles;

“I need to call the others,” he seems to tell himself. “We gotta…”

“Others?” Doe lets him sit up.

“They’ll be so happy,” the blonde laughs brokenly. “We’ve all been so worried about you.”

“Right,” Doe nods. He always kind of hoped someone out there was missing him, loved him, wanted to find him. He just didn’t know where to start getting back to them.

The blonde wipes his nose and presses dial on his battered cell phone. The cell reception around Lucis is shoddy and getting worse every day. The power plant at Lestallum tries to keep the towers working but it’s difficult. The blonde sits in his lap, waiting for what seems like forever, murmuring;

“Come on, pick up…” 

Then, finally, Doe hears a voice at the other end of the line.

“Hey,” the blonde murmurs, “yeah, can you get me--? Yeah, it’s important. Thanks.”

Another fretful pause, another voice.

“Specs,” the blonde greets, glancing out the window. “I’m a the Coernix Station, yeah, you know the one in Duscae? I need you to get here. Like, yesterday.”

There’s a rumble on the other end of the line.

“I can’t talk about it on the line.” The blonde answers tensely, like someone might be listening to their phone call. “But I _need_ you.”

The rumble is shorter this time.

“Yeah, bring him too if you can get him.” The blonde nods. “Okay, later. Bye.”

It’s a short call, tense, like more is at play than Doe knows. It sounds a little cloak and dagger to be a family reunion. Doe knows the Scourge and the daemons are bad and all but who’s listening into phone calls these days? And who’s Ardyn for that matter?

“We need to go hide somewhere.” The blonde tells him, taking a deep breath, tucking his phone away in his hip pocket.

“Libertus and the guys—” Doe starts to argue.

“There’s a Haven nearby,” the blonde continues, unfurling out of Doe’s lap and offering a hand to help him up.

“I can’t just—”

“This isn’t a debate.” The blonde rasps. “We gotta keep you safe.”

Doe pauses. “Safe? From what?”

“I can’t say here.” The blonde explains which sounds like bullshit but he seems so sincere, so desperate, that Doe actually pauses. “I have to protect you. Until the others can get here I can’t let anything happen to you.”

Doe takes his hand, hauling himself up. The blonde passes him his discarded shirt gently, presenting it like it’s a gift, like he’s sorry, and Doe pulls it on.

“Just let me tell Libertus we’re heading out.” Doe appeals.

“You can’t.” The blonde insists.

“He doesn’t have to know where we’re going but I can’t just take off without saying something,” Doe appeals reasonably. “He took me in. It’d be stone cold not to say something.”

The blonde looks weary, unwilling, but eventually nods.

“Go wait by the bike,” Doe offers. “I’ll just—”

“No!” The blonde wails in a blind panic.

“I’ll only be a second,” Doe assures.

“ _No_ ,” the blonde repeats sternly. “I’m never letting you out of my sight ever again.”

“Okay,” Doe surrenders with a patient sigh. He can’t blame the guy for being so clingy. If their situations were reversed he’d probably be just the same.

* * *

They ride the blonde’s rumbling motorcycle to the nearest Haven. The blonde has a little tent, a pack full of supplies, but honestly he’s got more ammunition than food. Doe slumps on the ground by the fire, watching the blonde light up a cigarette on the blue flames beside him.

“You know,” Doe starts to fill the strange, uncertain, silence, “I don’t remember anything but I would like to. Can we start with your name?”

The blonde laughs weakly, eyes buried in his own lap. He looks like he’s churning with so many emotions.

“Prompto,” he answers finally. “My name’s Prompto.”

“Hey Prompto,” Doe smiles.

Prompto shivers through his exhale like the words do something to him.

“What’s my name anyway?” Doe asks.

Prompto glances out over the darkness around them and seems to consider if it’s wise to tell him.

“ _That_ can’t be top secret too?” Doe reasons. “Surely?”

“Sort of,” Prompto hesitates, visibly fighting with himself. “You’re Noctis.”

He sits back, digesting. _Noctis_. It’s a handsome name. He likes it and it seems to sit right. Still, after being Doe for nine months it’s going to take a little adjusting to get used to it.

“How old am I?” Noctis prods.

“You’ll be twenty-three in August.” Prompto answers. “I’ll be the same in October.”

Noctis nods, they both have young faces.

“How long have we been together?” He asks next.

Prompto coughs on smoke, spluttering hard, and it takes him several deep breaths to recover.

“Sorry,” Noctis fumbles, groping the back of his neck with mortification. “I just assumed…”

“No, it’s…” Prompto rubs his face. “It’s okay. You’re totally my type. We’re best friends, I just… you were engaged to someone else for a while so we never…”

“Oh?” Noctis’ head tilts.

“She died in the war,” Prompto murmurs with genuine remorse. “You were devastated. It was a formal thing, organized by your families, but she was your friend and you respected her a lot. I don’t know if you were ever in love with her, you didn’t like talking about it.”

“Sounds…” Noctis slumps back into his hands. “Sounds complicated.”

“Tell me about it,” Prompto snorts.

“After she died, we didn’t…?” Noctis wonders.

“I wanted to,” Prompto admits, “but it was the wrong time. Besides, I don’t think I was the only one who was aching to step up for that. Competition for your heart’s pretty stiff.”

“So what? I’m some douchebag Casanova?” Noctis frowns.

“No, not at all,” Prompto promises. “You’re just… you’re hard not to love. You’re a good man. People want to be close to you.”

“The people you called,” Noctis supposes, “who are they?”

“Rest of our team,” Prompto shrugs. “Not sure which one of us loves you most. They’ll be so happy you’re safe, Noct. You have no idea. We’ve missed you _so much._ ”

“I must be alright then, if my friends care about me so much.” Noctis rues quietly. “Nine months of fretting must’ve been awful. I’m sorry I put you through that…”

“You’ve been gone longer than nine months,” Prompto reveals quietly.

“What do you mean?” Noctis glances.

“We lost you at the start of the Long Night.” Prompto explains. “Over two years ago. You went missing. Someone tried to get rid of you. We weren’t sure when you’d ever come back.”

Noctis frowns.

A thought occurs to him.

“Is someone still trying to get rid of me?” He whispers.

“Yes,” Prompto murmurs tensely. “We can’t let him find you like this.” 

“Well…” Noctis gathers himself up. “Guess we’ll have to kick his ass if he’s getting between me and my great friends.”

Prompto, seemingly despite himself, laughs and there’s such relief, such joy, in that sound Noctis knows he can never, ever, hurt this sweet man. Whoever he is or was, whoever Prompto is, whoever the other members of their team are; these people love him desperately.

Noctis will try not to let them down.


End file.
